My family quilt ca. 1780 in the museum at Colonial Williamsburg has a background of linen and it's wonderful.
From my daughter who uses mostly linen in her costume making, here's the best way to wash linen:
Fill a tub with COLD water.
Layer the linen if it's in yardage in back and forth gentle folds (or just flat if you are using suitable sized squares) - eliminating fold creases by this gentle folding method and NEVER pressing down on the fabric! Do NOT press down to get all of it wet.
Let soak as long as possible or overnight; this will allow the fabric to become completely wet without your manipulating it and will allow the fibers to swell and fill which helps prevent creases.
Fill the washer with the hottest water possible. Add regular detergent and agitate briefly to mix well.
Remove the wet linen from the full tub by folding again, layer by layer, into a rectangular laundry basket and moving it then to the washer.
Wash on hot. Dry on hot.
**The first part of this process is important because it helps to eliminate creases when the linen is washed by allowing the fibers to relax.
**The washing and drying eliminates shrinkage when you use it. It also tightens the weave a bit, softens the feel, and helps with fraying.
I think you'll love using linen in your quilts!
Jan in VA
Last edited by Jan in VA; 11-24-2016 at 08:00 AM.